Another dental surgery on the region has notified thousands of adult patients they will no longer be provided with NHS services from December 24.
The move by Thornhill Dental Practice is in response to the departure of one of its two dentists and the difficulty in filling the vacancy.
The blow has been described as “contributing to a worsening situation around access to NHS dental services within Dumfries and Galloway”.
Alison Milne, director of dentistry, said: “This is obviously very bad news for all the adult NHS patients registered with Thornhill Dental Practice.
“We continue to work as a health board to encourage and support dentists to provide NHS general dental services, but lack of dentists coming to work in the region is a key issue. Challenges in dental workforce is being seen across the UK.
“However, as has been noted before, this is a situation which is likely to worsen before there is the prospect of any improvement.”
The practice will continue to provide NHS services for children, and private dental care for adults.
But the 3,800 people losing their registration at Thornhill will now need to find alternative provision, despite no dentists within the region accepting new NHS registrations, meaning that the alternatives are to secure registration outwith the region or access dental care privately.
The news follows an announcement from Gretna Dental Practice that it will also stop offering NHS treatment to 2,400 adults, with effect from yesterday, and that Gardenhill Dental Clinic in Castle Douglas will close its doors early in the new year, leaving 4,400 more without access to an NHS dentist.
MSP Colin Smyth said his “worst fears” that the closures in Gretna and Castle Douglas would “trigger a domino effect have been realised”.
He added: “This will be a huge blow to patients in Mid Nithsdale who will either have to pay for private care or try to find another dentist that provides NHS care. That is becoming more and more difficult as practice after practice ends NHS care. I believe the very existence of NHS dental care is under threat in Dumfries and Galloway.”
Anyone not registered with a dentist and who requires emergency treatment should call 0845 602 6417.
